Cross Country Race

Have you ever put everything you have into one moment? Have you ever kept moving when your body is screaming to stop? Have you ever visualized the finish line in your mind? This is what I felt in my cross country race. In the beginning I stood mindlessly at the starting line along with my teammates and my opponents. Everyone was listening for the words of the race starter. First, I heard the words “Runners take you mark” and we all looked straight ahead, cocked our heads back, ready to sprint off at any moment. Then I hear the word “Go”. Within a millisecond, everyone, including me, was hurdling ahead at full speed. For the first 100 meters it was like running with a herd of wild bulls. Everyone was weaving through each other trying to get to the inside. The clatter of footsteps deafened me from all outside noises. But slowly the crowd began to spread out into a long line like a train clinched to its tracks. All the runners settled into their pace determined to finish.

Even though I was moving so fast, I felt as if I was in slow motion because everyone was running with me. I focused on one point, ran to it, and then moved to another. Now my legs were locked as if there was no way of stopping them. As I gasped for air, my hard breaths sounded like a Grizzly bear. I was convinced I had taken over a million steps by now. Each minute seemed to drag on and on as the race progressed. But I knew each step I took brought me closer to my destination. But suddenly when I thought I couldn’t take one more step without collapsing right where I was. I finished. It was the greatest feeling I’ve ever felt. I knew I had given it everything I had. I knew this because of the sweat dripping off my body and my raspy voice coming from my quenched throat. I had run a cross country race.

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